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When a highway accident forced traffic to a standstill near Oakville, the local community quickly transformed inconvenience into compassion, opening its community centre to stranded travellers and providing overnight shelter, food, and supplies.
Karen Olafson, a member of the Oakville community, said the call to open the community centre came unexpectedly early in the afternoon yesterday.
“We got called at 1 o’clock yesterday afternoon just to come and open up. We thought it would be very temporary, and it turned into an overnight,” she said.
Once word spread that travellers needed a place to stay, residents wasted no time responding. A post shared online asking for donations and volunteers was met with overwhelming support.
“Oakville and the surrounding area and Sunnyside Colony stepped up hugely for us,” Olafson said. “They were bringing us bedding, air mattresses, food, toothbrushes, anything that we asked for, it was here within the hour. We actually had to take the post down because it was, we had so much stuff.”
Volunteers filled every role needed to keep the centre running smoothly, from preparing meals to setting up sleeping areas. Olafson said the effort was entirely community-driven.
“Those are all volunteers from the community here,” she said, naming several residents who helped throughout the night. “We were very thankful to have as much help as we did to get through the night.”
For travellers like Jennifer Orton and her family, the support came as an enormous relief. Orton, her husband, and their three sons were returning to Saskatchewan after car shopping in Winnipeg when they became stranded.
“We came upon the accident. We were a ways back so we didn’t know what was going on,” she said. “We sat for about three hours on the highway, kind of pondering where we’re going, what we’re doing.”
Police eventually directed traffic back to Oakville, where the community centre had been opened. Orton said the welcome they received exceeded all expectations.
“There was more food than we can imagine, people all over to visit with. It was a wonderful experience, very welcoming to the community,” she said.
Walking into the centre without knowing anyone could have been stressful, Orton added, but instead it felt like home.
“It was unbelievable, the amount of blankets and pillows and food and snacks, games galore,” she said. “There was no concerns about what we were going to do for the evening.”
Thanks to donated air mattresses and bedding, the family slept comfortably and are prepared to continue their journey home today.
“Actually, the night was pretty good,” Orton said.
As travellers departed, Olafson said gratitude was expressed again and again.
“Very appreciative. Many, many thanks as people were leaving today,” she said. Reflecting on the experience, she added, “Very proud to be part of this community.”
With roads reopening, families like the Orton’s hoped to make it home safely, carrying with them a lasting impression of Oakville’s generosity.
